Chu, Xin
Zhang, Xingyi
Cheng, Peixia
Schwebel, David
and
Hu, Guoqing
2018.
Assessing the Use of Media Reporting Recommendations by the World Health Organization in Suicide News Published in the Most Influential Media Sources in China, 2003–2015.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,
Vol. 15,
Issue. 3,
p.
451.

Yaqub, Michael Mead
Beam, Randal A
and
John, Sue Lockett
2017.
‘We report the world as it is, not as we want it to be’: Journalists’ negotiation of professional practices and responsibilities when reporting on suicide.
Journalism: Theory, Practice & Criticism,
p.
146488491773195.

Media reporting of suicide has repeatedly been shown to trigger suicidal behaviour. Few studies have investigated the associations between specific media content and suicide rates. Even less is known about the possible preventive effects of suicide-related media content.

Aims

To test the hypotheses that certain media content is associated with an increase in suicide, suggesting a so-called Werther effect, and that other content is associated with a decrease in suicide, conceptualised as a Papageno effect. Further, to identify classes of media articles with similar reporting profiles and to test for associations between these classes and suicide.

Method

Content analysis and latent class analysis (LCA) of 497 suicide-related print media reports published in Austria between 1 January and 30 June 2005. Ecological study to identify associations between media item content and short-term changes in suicide rates.

Results

Repetitive reporting of the same suicide and the reporting of suicide myths were positively associated with suicide rates. Coverage of individual suicidal ideation not accompanied by suicidal behaviour was negatively associated with suicide rates. The LCA yielded four classes of media reports, of which the mastery of crisis class (articles on individuals who adopted coping strategies other than suicidal behaviour in adverse circumstances) was negatively associated with suicide, whereas the expert opinion class and the epidemiological facts class were positively associated with suicide.

Conclusions

The impact of suicide reporting may not be restricted to harmful effects; rather, coverage of positive coping in adverse circumstances, as covered in media items about suicidal ideation, may have protective effects.

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Role of media reports in completed and prevented suicide: Werther v. Papageno effects

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Role of media reports in completed and prevented suicide: Werther v. Papageno effects

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9Ringel, E. Selbstmord in der Oper [Suicide in the Opera]. Lecture at the conference of the International Association of Suicide Prevention in Vienna, 1985 [in German: video cassette]. Video Sattler, 1985.

39Curah, A. What's Happening to our News? An Investigation of the Likely Impact of the Digital Revolution on the Economics of News Publishing in the UK.Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, 2009 (http://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/publications/risj.html).

Chu, Xin
Zhang, Xingyi
Cheng, Peixia
Schwebel, David
and
Hu, Guoqing
2018.
Assessing the Use of Media Reporting Recommendations by the World Health Organization in Suicide News Published in the Most Influential Media Sources in China, 2003–2015.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,
Vol. 15,
Issue. 3,
p.
451.

Yaqub, Michael Mead
Beam, Randal A
and
John, Sue Lockett
2017.
‘We report the world as it is, not as we want it to be’: Journalists’ negotiation of professional practices and responsibilities when reporting on suicide.
Journalism: Theory, Practice & Criticism,
p.
146488491773195.

eLetters

The Protective Effect of Media on Suicidal Behavior

Anum S Khan, Doctor, Allama Iqbal Medical College
16 June 2017

Over the last few decades, reports of suicide often highlight the different vistas of information. The omnipresence of social media has increased prompt reporting of suicides especially celebrity deaths. In addition, some television shows have come under scrutiny as they purportedly “glorify” suicides. While the existence of the phenomenon known as the “suicide contagion” has been endorsed by several mental health experts; however, the precise causality of suicides is often hard to explain as suicide is a complicated process that does not solely depend on the concepts of “modeling” of “identification”.

In 2012, Sisask and Varnik employed a metanalysis on association between suicide reporting and completed suicides. Among the 56 publications included- 40 articles supported the “Werther Effect”- the phenomenon that endorses the positive association of media reporting and suicidal behavior. The same review highlighted a strong possibility of bias as negative associations may be undermined when such reporting occurs. [1] Additionally, most studies show positive associations in reporting of a particular method of suicide with suicide by that mode. [1] It is not clear that the rate of suicide was increased as a result of the reporting. The effects of underreporting may manifest as an increased reporting of one method of suicide more than another which is deemed less violent.

At the other end of the spectrum is the protective “Papageno Effect” that theorizes that media can play a role in decreasing suicidal tendencies. The discrepancy in the number of studies on the Werther and Papageno effect is interesting. Niederskrotenthaler et al found that the reporting of suicides was culpable of increased suicidal attempts; however, the use of media for protective information and crisis intervention decreased suicidal behaviors. [2]

Suicide is a sensitive subject and must be approached with the utmost responsibility, however; the importance of the reporting without embellishment may serve as an important platform for discussion about the causes behind suicides. The 2015 statistics on suicide rates reflect an increased rate in the middle aged individuals (45-65 years of age). [3] This is a population that is not usually considered “vulnerable” to suicidal behavior. The underlying reasons may be attributed to mental health issues and economic difficulties. There is no panacea for these conditions but, discussions about the identification and intervention for risk subjects may have a protective effect on suicide behavior.

Suicides and their occurrences must not be given the status of “taboo” for a misplaced label of societal stability. Stigmatization of such subjects has negative consequences on awareness of warning signs and timely intervention. Media can be an important tool for crisis intervention and support. Responsible media can impart the much needed “Papageno effect” which can serve as a support system for the population facing mental health difficulties and social issues. More studies are needed on the Papageno effect to validate this protective effect.

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